3 days alone on an uninhabited island

The best thing about 3 days on the empty island? We could run naaaaaked ;) The worst? No sweet water sucks.

Such an idea: if we are in the place of the world, where inhabited islands still exist – we should take a chance! In north Tonga there are many islands without people and only if you find a way to get there – you can stay for a while.

Kenutu, a little island on the east side of north islands. After Kenutu there is just ocean and International Date Line, where the day starts.

So we go. We found a man with a motor boat, paid for the petrol (both sides in advance!) and agreed he will come back to get us in 3 days. He left us alone and waved for goodbye.

Wuuuuuhuuu. Do you remember those funny talks: who would you take with you to the uninhabited island? Or what would you take? From the important things we had: our tent, bottles with sweet water (no sources of water on the island), some cans with food (no really food except coconuts and fish there), a lot of matches and a bush knife. That was such a safety minimum for us. Don’t forget we have kids ;)

From now on alone – on an uninhabited island.

Leaving our camp for an island discovery. Will we meat the others?

Hanna taking pictures of a blue sea start.

Wave watching on the riff.

Our beach at low tide

First thoughts? Come on, we are totally alone! We can run like idiots on the island and nobody will look, or jugde, or whatever. We can take the clothes off, we can jump and sing very loud. A new feeling!

Ok, let’s put the tent and let’s make the fire. We collected the wood and… it started to rain. Actually we were really a bit unlucky with the weather, was raining most of the time, and even if I’m a master of making fire – it’s not so much fun when everything is wet. And when your kids start to be hungry and ask when this rice will be ready. Suddenly, making a simple lunch takes ages.

Or collecting coconuts! There were a lot of rats at the island, so 99% of coconuts had a little hole and were empty inside. But we knew we have to find some, because we wanted to be sure that we have enough of sweet water in the bottles, just in case. And once you found some coconuts – you realize that carrying more than 2 or 3 is a challange. So you go back to the tent, and then again through the bush to the other side of the island.

Drinking from the coconut is cool.

Tonga, Kenutu Island (Vavau Group): Cooking is not easy in the rain.

Can we eat this? Looks good.

Are you dangerous? Can we eat you?

Lunch at the beach.

A Coconut is drink and food

Suddenly you can realize how much time takes just… living: collecting rain water, food, making the fire and getting things dry. And – since it was mainly raining – there was anyway not too much time to walk around. But we did walk: meeting some other inhabitants of the island (crabs, snakes and bats).

No running water, no cooker, no electricity, no roof and no people – makes you think a lot. About human needs and about safety. „What if?“ – comes to your mind more often.

THE moments of those 3 days? We found a bit of chocolate in our backpack, melted it on the fire and ate with coconuts! And the morning coffee, when on the second day it was finally not raining (the only pity is that the water boiled on the fire – has not the coolest taste ;). And our naked dancing in the rain (our girls were for hours watching some books and paining drawings in the tent, while we… ) (hmm, some time ago some reader send me a question: „ok ok, but how to have sex with your husband while travelling with kids??“, maybe once I should write a post about it..;)

Great adventure. Mine was not that extreme, I’ve stayed on an island with people permanently living there (no running water and very limited electricity though) and met, I think, the same zebra-like snake. It’s a really deadly one.
No risk, no fun…

I’ve done a little research and found a snake I saw. Ooopsie, it’s the most deadly one in the world!!! At least according to that list:http://listverse.com/2011/03/30/top-10-most-venomous-snakes/
It was the Belcher’s Sea Snake. I know it looks black and blue in the picture but it may be found on land as well (I met them on a beach moving inland) and then it’s black and white, and looks very much like in your pic (wiki says it lives around Solomon Islands, so I guess Tonga also belongs to its natural habitat).
I hope I haven’t scared you, I’m just surprised myself what a creature we’ve met!

Our yellow headed friend might be still a deadly one, but since they don’t hunt in the daytime, but at night swimming around in the sea, the The Family Without Borders walking around is not exactly what the want to bite. Luckily!

Sorry, I really didn’t mean to shock you! I think you’re doing a great thing for your little girls (and yourselves) which they will remember and benefit from for all their lives. I’ve spent almost a year living/traveling in a similar region (mostly living in a house in a jungle) and I think taking local transportation (motorbike, bus) was more risky than finding a snake in my house from time to time. Anything in life may be risky, actually ;))
Since it’s you who saw the snake, you’re probably right about the species, especially if it was more inland. I’m quite sure the ones I met were the Belcher’s Sea Snakes (locals suggested me so) but, of what I understood while doing some more research, they aren’t really dangerous (even though their venom is) too, fortunately (for me)!
Good luck, I really enjoy reading your blog!

Cziesc jak tam? :) not sure if its correctly written.
We are couple from Czech republic and want to do the same about living on inhabited island. I was just wandering how much did you pay for the petrol and the favour to take you there?
Dzienky
All best peace and love :)

Hello Pzemek, we just gave the boat driver something around 5 to 10 Dollars per person. In Tonga all the time people have to get from island to island and the usually pay the boat driver like you pay for a taxi. If your uninhabited island is further you pay more than for the normal island trip. If it is somhow on the way you will pay less. / cheers / tom